


miss it by a second, miss it by a mile

by clemiroh



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Pining, and hyunjin is an idiot, minho and jisung and woojin thank u for ur service, seungjin are both photographers, the others occasionally appear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 02:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17275769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clemiroh/pseuds/clemiroh
Summary: “All is fair in love and war,” Seungmin singsongs, smiling from where he’s clinging onto Felix’s arm, and Hyunjin is kind of amazed at how quickly his demeanour had changed, kind of in love and also kind of ready to throttle him. “So kiss my ass, I guess.”alternatively: hyunjin gets jealous over an instagram post, starts a silly rivalry that's really not quite there, and falls in love along the way





	miss it by a second, miss it by a mile

**Author's Note:**

> this is honestly not how i wanted it to go and its honestly too long and all over the place bc i have bad concentration and stray easily but its here now and its all my sleep deprived mind can come up with so itll have to make do for my first fic in a year woo welcome 2019 i guess
> 
> also im SO SORRY FOR THE ENDING GOD KNOWS ITS HELLA RUSHED AND DUMB BUT I WANTED TO FINISH BEFORE I HAD TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL WHICH IS IN TWO HOURS LOL RIP ENJOY I GUESS

* * *

 

It starts out with an Instagram post. Felix’s, to be exact.

See, photography was kind of totally Hyunjin’s thing. He fell in love at the cute age of ten, watching with wide, wonder-filled eyes as his dad crouches down next to him and shows him photos of, well, himself on this old, beaten up camera which is given to him two years later. It’s admittedly nowhere near the best, with scratches on the side and one of the buttons kind of falling out, but he loves it all the same.

At fifteen, he finally gets a brand new DSLR model using his savings, with his parents supportively pitching in to make up for what he couldn’t afford. His shots have gotten so much better, and he’s finally learned how to adjust his camera settings swiftly enough, because missing something by a second would be missing it by a mile (where did he learn that again?). Hell, it would be missing it by a lifetime.

And so Hyunjin signs himself up for extra classes, and though they aren’t the easiest nor the most convenient for his high schooler ass, he makes it work, because it’s what he loves to do. It isn’t a surprise for anyone when he finds himself still with his camera in college, nor is it a surprise whenever he gets praised by his professors for both his passion and professionality, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t even _a little_ proud of himself.

Given all these, it’s kind of natural for him to designate himself as the makeshift photographer of his friend group – he kind of takes it upon himself to make sure they always have nice memoirs from their hangouts and maybe occasionally provide ridiculously good pictures for Jisung to use in his Facebook profile.

(He won’t admit it, but despite all his faux complaints when they ask him to take photos of them, there’s always an undeniable burst of pleasure that bubbles in his chest and makes him all giddy.)

So when he sees Felix’s latest IG post – it’s a picture of him crouched outside a building (Hyunjin recognises it to be one of the studios they frequent), his eyes closed and smile lazy with the sunset sky looking great on him, streaks of brilliant orange and hazy pink making his dainty features seem more striking yet soft all the same, even highlighting his freckles perfectly – his first thought is, “Damn, when did I take this?”

And then he realises that, wait, no, he did _not_ take this picture of Felix. The last time he’d been at that particular studio with him was weeks ago, and that was at ass o’clock A.M.. Eyes straying downwards, he reads the caption – “ ** _this might just be my fav pic ever, thanks min_** ” – and it takes several seconds to click.

Then: “Who the fuck is Min?” He asks a little too loud and a little too aggressively, which is a mistake because, one, he didn’t even _mean_  to say it aloud and, two, he’s in the library, supposedly studying. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of people, but the kid two tables away _does_ shoot him a dirty glare enough to make him sink a little in his seat.

Across from him, Jisung raises a questioning eyebrow, slowly putting his own phone down. “Woah, where did that come from?”

Hyunjin spares a slight glance at the other kid before he leans over the table to show Jisung the post. A textbook digs uncomfortably into his rib, but he pays it no mind, because there were more important matters at hand. Jisung furrows his brows. “Felix posted this like, yesterday,” he says, confused.

“That’s not the point,” Hyunjin hisses, “Look at the caption. Who on earth is Min and why does Felix like his pictures more than mine? I have, like, a whole folder for him, seriously, they’re so much better – ” Maybe he’s way more than a little proud of himself, but it’s not like he’ll ever admit it.

Jisung shrugs, leaning back into his seat, attention going back to his phone. “It’s probably Kim Seungmin. You’ve probably seen him around? Maybe with Woojin hyung or Jeongin? Shared a class with him? Or, uh, even heard of him?” Hyunjin shakes his head at all three. Jisung frowns over his phone. “Weird. Anyway, he’s, like, kinda smart. Takes photography classes, like you.  Kinda cute, too.” Jisung pauses, seemingly contemplating something. “He’s probably your type.”

At this, Hyunjin sputters. “What?”

Jisung nods. “Definitely your type.”

“First of all, I don’t even know if I have a type,” Hyunjin retorts, defiant. “Second, I may not know him, but he’s my rival from now on. I can’t just let him go around taking good photos of _my_ friends. He’s taking my job! My dreams! My life purpose!”

“I thought you hated your job because we didn’t pay you for it,” Jisung says. “Also, we’re also kind of his friends? He’s Woojin hyung’s cousin or something, which meant he’s automatically Channie hyung’s adopted son. Also, why is this a big deal?”

Hyunjin slams a hand on the table. Jisung totally didn’t get it! “ _Because_ –”

“Hey,” Kid Sitting Two Tables Away calls out, “Sorry to interrupt, but can you take your teenage angst shit somewhere else, please?”

Jisung chuckles, apologizing for Hyunjin, who’s wilted into his seat completely. He stares at his phone, narrows his eyes at Instagram Post Felix, and promptly starts plotting against this Kim Seungmin.

 

The duo finds themselves hanging out with Felix and Jeongin a few days after that, and he manages to snap some shots that Jeongin immediately reminds him to send later,  his brace-filled grin sunshine-bright as he steals another sip from Hyunjin’s milkshake. He lets him, though, because this is Yang Jeongin, and everyone lets Yang Jeongin get away with everything, because he’s simply _that_ lovable.

“You’re really so good at this,” Felix gushes, voice thick, peering over his shoulder to look at his camera screen. “You should totally meet Minnie, I think you two would get along.”

Jeongin gasps. “You mean they haven’t met yet?” he exclaims, to which Felix giggles and shakes his head, both of them oblivious to the way Hyunjin’s eyes had widened so comically, or to the loud snort Jisung let out. “I can’t believe you haven’t even met, are you kidding me? I thought you’d be best friends by now! Don’t you see each other in your classes?”

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, and Jisung says, “Obviously not, or Hyunjin would already have fought him over your Instagram post from the other day.”

“No, I wouldn’t have,” Hyunjin mumbles sheepishly, cheeks burning a little. Felix tilts his head to one side as he racks his brain for certain information.

“Oh!” Felix’s eyes light up, remembering The Post, and lets out horrifyingly high-pitched laughter while Jeongin looks on confusedly. “Did you take it _that_ seriously? I say that about every picture you guys take!”

Hyunjin pouts. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Felix shrugs. “I still love your pictures, Hyunjinnie, don’t worry,” he says lightly. Hyunjin looks at him expectantly, and he sighs as he adds, “Okay, more than I love Minnie’s.”

Hyunjin relaxes, a smug smile on his face, and Jeongin finally catches on, only to add (rather unhelpfully), “I still think it would be great if they meet. Maybe Hyunjinnie hyung will still fight Seungminnie hyung. I’d film that.”

Hyunjin pretends he didn’t hear.

_Liked by **j1.sung, hwang.hj** and **168** others_

**leefelxx** fun day! hyunjins sad so this ones for him: he takes the best photos!

 **hwang.hj** love u man

 **seungcam**  Excuse me? :(

 **j1.sung** int er es ti n g

 

Somehow, news about his (self-proclaimed, one-sided) rivalry with Seungmin manages to circulate around their very mutual friend group within the span of a week, evident by the way Chan sends excessive amounts of emojis to the groupchat, as well as Changbin teasingly saying that Seungmin indeed takes the better pictures.

By the next weekend, the universe itself seems to have plotted together with his friends to make him and Kim Seungmin meet, because when he and Minho arrive at McDonald’s, still laughing from some silly video Minho showed him at the studio earlier, he finds himself blinking at a new face, the owner stopping mid-motion while Felix, Jeongin and Jisung get up greet them noisily.

“You’re late!” Jisung screeches, throwing himself at the two newcomers in a blur of blue. Hyunjin catches him with a grunt, stumbling around. “We’ve been here for hours!”

“I had to finish a project today,” Minho excuses himself coolly, setting down his bag on a chair. “Hey, Jeongin, Lix. Hey, Seungmin.”

Hyunjin whips around almost violently. Jeongin giggles, and Felix takes on the task of introducing them. “Hyunjin! This is Kim Seungmin, by the way. Minnie, that’s Hwang Hyunjin.”

“Yeah,” Kim Seungmin says, smiling at him oh-so-brightly and oh-so-obliviously, extending a hand. “I’ve seen you around in class, though we haven’t really met… Hey…?”

(And maybe Jisung was totally right. Kim Seungmin had kind, pretty eyes and a huge pink smile and the soft, flower boy kind of vibe. He didn’t even know what his type was, though Jisung would probably say it’s called ‘Kim Seungmin,’ and he wouldn’t be wrong at all.

Not that he’d ever admit it, because this was Kim Seungmin he was talking about – his (self-proclaimed, one-sided) _rival_ – and admitting that would be admitting defeat.)

(Also, Jisung was the one who said it, so.)

Minho coughs exaggeratedly, and Hyunjin realises he’s been staring blankly at Seungmin. He sees rosy hues sparking across the poor boy’s cheeks, and he vaguely registers warmth tingling underneath his cheeks. Eyes flickering downward, he stares at the outstretched hand and takes it into his own in an attempt to redeem himself.

He opens his mouth to return the greeting, but then all that’s on his mind is the soft, warm skin of Seungmin’s hands, which then causes him to lose his train of coherent thought. Somewhere along the way, his brain-to-mouth filter fucks up very badly, because he distinctly hears himself say, in lieu of a greeting, “I take better photos of Felix.”

Seungmin blinks, hand stilling in Hyunjin’s grip. What. “Excu – I – what did you just say?” he finally asks, pulling his hand away. Hyunjin does nothing but watch it move farther away, his own hand falling limp at his side. In the distance, he can hear Jisung and Minho cackling like hyenas. His eyes drift off to see Felix smiling apologetically up at him from his seat, bless his soul, while Jeongin next to him looks way too amused.

“Seungminnie,” Jisung starts, pulling Seungmin back into his seat, and Hyunjin once again wilts slowly into his, “Hyunjin here wants to fight you because Felix said on Instagram that his favourite photo was the one you took of him last week even though he says that, like, every other post.”

It takes a split second for Seungmin to replace all the sugar and stars in his eyes with nothing but a challenge, narrowing them at Hyunjin, “Too bad for you then, since Lix agreed to be my model for our next project.”

Hyunjin gasps out loud and dramatically, shooting up in his seat and exclaiming, “Felix! How could you do this to me!”

“People are staring,” Jisung comments offhandedly, picking at his fries. “I just thought you should know, since you sound like you’re in a drama right now.”

“I’m sorry,” Felix says, pouting, “but I thought you were gonna ask Minho hyung – ”

“I have talent fees, just saying – ”

“– so I agreed to modelling for Min? Plus he’s kind of my best friend, so,” Felix adds, sheepish. “I’m sorry?”

“I thought _I_ was your best friend?” Jisung interjects sulkily.

Felix furrows his brows. “I thought we agreed to be called chaos twins.”

“Touché.”

“What about me?” Hyunjin whines. “I thought you had my back!”

“I do?” Felix says, though it sounded more like a question. “But I have Min’s back, too, and he asked first, so.”

“All is fair in love and war,” Seungmin singsongs, smiling from where he’s clinging onto Felix’s arm, and Hyunjin is kind of amazed at how quickly his demeanour had changed, kind of in love and also kind of ready to throttle him. “So kiss my ass, I guess.”

Jeongin _ooh_ ’s. “That was definitely a threat,” Jisung tells Hyunjin.

Hyunjin crosses his arms. It is _on_.

 

 

**A Comprehensive and Growing List of Hwang Hyunjin’s Problems, Written in No Particular Order**

  1. He has a photoessay due next morning, and it is currently twelve, dangerously approaching one.
  2. The photoessay requires a minimum of five thousand words, and while he is confident about his pictures, he can’t really say the same for his writing. Also, he’s only barely past a thousand, and it all looks like gibberish to him.
  3. Kim Seungmin Exists.
  4. Kim Seungmin is awfully cute for an awfully evil person, as proven by their first meeting (it may have been mostly Hyunjin’s fault, but _still_ ), and by many others to come (or so he tells himself).
  5. As mentioned in #1, the clock is ticking threateningly close to one a.m., and yet he’s _still_ on his phone, procrastinating, scrolling through Instagram.
  6. Not only is he scrolling through Instagram, he is scrolling through _Kim Seungmin’s Instagram account_ , ~~and he may or may not have a newfound fondness for Kim Seungmin’s stupidly adorable face, especially his smile.~~



 

Hyunjin groans, tossing his phone further away from him as he buries his face into his pillow, as if doing so would help him escape from his predicament. Seungmin’s face in his latest selca flashes blindingly in his mind, and he gets a Very Strong Urge to scream into his pillow. So he does.

Suddenly, his phone goes off, the shrill chime alerting him of a new notification. Begrudgingly, he crawls over to the other end of his bed, squinting at the too-bright screen.

His heart almost stops. It doesn’t, though. He kind of wishes it did.

(hwang.hj) **seungcam** _started following you._

(hwang.hj) **seungcam:** _You know, I thought you’d be a little stealthier when it comes to stalking your rival’s Instagram_.

 

Hyunjin blinks. His throat feels tight as he goes back to the last post of Seungmin he had open, eyes dragging dreadfully to look at the caption. Sure enough, the heart was coloured in a mocking bright pink colour, and the words underneath clearly show that the post dates back to three weeks ago.

 **seungcam:** _Are you done with the photoessay?_

 **hwang.hj:** _it was kkami_

 **hwang.hj:** _also what kind of question is that_

 **hwang.hj:** _of course im not_

 **seungcam:** _Who’s Kkami?_

 **hwang.hj:** _my angel my love the light of my life… my puppy_

 **seungcam:** _Also, mood, though I can help you if I manage to finish in around an hour!!_

 **seungcam:** _How dare you blame a sweet pupper for your crimes?_

 

Hyunjin frowns, the glare of his laptop in the background taunting him. What kind of rival offers to help each other out?

 **hwang.hj:** _no thx i can handle_

 **hwang.hj:** _felix thief_

 **seungcam:** _OH MY GOD_

He shuts his phone down and forces himself to write, trying to ignore the funny feeling in his chest.

 

 

  1. Now that he’s met Seungmin, he can’t seem to _not_ see him everywhere. Even worse, he’s not sure if he’s actively seeking for the boy or if he’s really just the actual devil who seems to pop up wherever Hyunjin is. Either way, it is _a problem_.
  2. Seungmin looked way too good in glasses. Too good.



 

Seungmin’s smile is the first thing that he sees when he steps into his 7 a.m. class. Coincidentally, the seat next to him is the only desirable seat left, seeing as the other one is situated right in front of the professor’s desk, which is a no-go.

“Good morning,” Seungmin greets pleasantly, though the weird buzzing going on in Hyunjin’s stomach is anything but. “Sleep well?”

Hyunjin glares at him. “You _know_ I stayed up for the photoessay.”

Seungmin looks at him innocently. “Well,” he replies, “now I do. Though it’s kind of obvious from your eyebags, now that I’m looking at you.” He pauses, and then continues with a smile too bright for the hour. “Let’s do well today, yeah?”

Hyunjin blushes. “Right.”

At some point during the lecture, he starts dozing off uncontrollably – it’s not his fault the professor was boring! – and Seungmin must have noticed, because as he gets up to leave, the bespectacled boy slips his own notes into his hands, reducingHyunjin intro quite a flustered mess in the corner of the classroom.

By the time he’s thought of thanking Seungmin, the other’s already been long gone.

 

(“He’s so fucking annoying!” Hyunjin whines into a Very Confused Felix’s clothes, not letting go of the smaller boy, “Who does he think he is, taking good pictures and writing neat lecture notes and offering to help me out and even _joking_ with me, he’s a fucking _menace_ – ”

“What the fuck,” Felix whispers. “He’s broken you.” )

 

_Liked by **j1.sung, innie.yang** and **255** others_

**seungcam** for Binnie hyung.

 **spearbin** thanks

 **kimwooj** This is such a good pic! Good job

 **seungcam** <33

 

 

There’s sweat rolling down Jisung’s skin in gross, warm droplets, the back of his neck burning from how much the harsh sun has been hitting it, and he’s squinting at Hyunjin across the street where he stands, glaring down at his camera.

“Are you done? Are you fucking _done_?” Jisung whines when Hyunjin finally looks up from his camera, thick brows furrowed in concentration as he stares Jisung down. He opens his lips to respond, but Jisung beats him to it. “’Cause we’ve been standing here for, like, three hours just so you can – so you can _what_ , actually? Because I swear to god Hwang Hyunjin if this shit isn’t worth a heatstroke I will murder you with your tripod.”

Hyunjin pouts, cheeks flushed red from the heat – or something else. Only God knows. Jisung raises an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Well…” Hyunjin scratches the back of his neck. “Maybe it’s because I kinda needed a good picture to post because Seungmin put up this picture of Changbin hyung and I can’t just – wait oh my God _Jisung no – give that back!”_

“I will _strangle_ you after I’m through with this – ”

 

(seungcam) **hwang.hj** liked your post.

 

“You have a crush on him,” Jisung announces once they’ve gotten back to his dorm, Hyunjin curled up on his bed comfortably, as if it was his own. He looks up at the words, puzzled.

“What?”

“You,” Jisung repeats, emphasizing each syllable, “Hwang Hyunjin, have a crush on Kim Seungmin.”

Hyunjin sits up so fast his head starts spinning. “Jisung, what the hell?”

“What? It’s true,” Jisung says matter-of-factly. “You’ve done nothing but talk about him and his stupid face for the past week now.”

That was not true! Well, Hyunjin _did_ talk about Kim Seungmin quite a lot, but it wasn’t because he liked him! No, it was because his face was too stupidly angelic for someone who’s tormenting his life so mercilessly, and he can’t believe he’d even have the audacity to offer Hyunjin his stupid notes and his stupid help on the photoessay that night two weeks ago! Besides, who even _does_ that? They’re supposed to be rivals, why is he being _so_ nice –

“Earth to Hwang Hyunjin,” Jisung screeches, “God, you’re really in it deep for Seungmin, aren’t you?”

Hyunjin shrieks right back. “No! He’ll be six feet deep once I’m through with this, I swear – ”

 

_Liked by **j1.sung, seungcam** and **318** others_

**hwang.hj** thanks u pain in the ass

 **j1.sung** damn maybe the sunburns were worth it

 **innie.yang** eyes emoji

 

 

  1. Okay, maybe’s starting to find that maybe Kim Seungmin isnt’t so bad.



 

Somehow, it becomes routine for Seungmin to lend him his lecture notes after every class they share, and each time Hyunjin somehow fails to thank him – not that Seungmin seems to mind, because he never really says nor does anything about it, but still, it makes Hyunjin feel like a shitty person.

Also, when did they start sitting beside each other and only with each other?

When Seungmin, as expected, turns to him with the papers in his hand at dismissal, Hyunjin’s mouth runs quicker than his brain, and he can’t stop himself from asking, “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Hyunjin immediately regrets it. Seungmin freezes, eyes visibly filling with nervousness as he tries to process what he said. “Am I,” he begins to ask, “Am I not supposed to be nice to you?”

“No!” Hyunjin exclaims, panicking, “No, I mean, yeah, but – no, it’s just – I don’t know, you’re my rival!” It sounds even more stupid than when he thought of saying it in his head, which he actually didn’t. His brain was malfunctioning yet again.

Seungmin whole expression blanks out before morphing into one of disbelief. “Are you actually serious about that?” he groans, incredulous. “I thought it was a joke!”

“I. Um,” Hyunjin says smartly. “I suppose not.” He coughs, wishing he could reel all his words back in, because Seungmin looks genuinely upset about the whole situation, and it’s making him upset too, Jesus Christ, his knees felt like they might give out! “Hey, I’m, uh, I’m sorry?”

“It’s fine, I just didn’t think my attempt at making friends would gain me a rival,” Seungmin says, pouting, though his tone has gotten more lighthearted. “And a dumb one at that.”

Hyunjin gasps. “And to think I was going to treat you to McDonald’s!”

This is how he finds himself seated across Seungmin at the very-healthy-fastfood chain on their campus, eyes awkwardly darting from one thing to another, but never quite meeting each other.

Somehow, it’s Hyunjin who finds himself speaking up first, miraculously not embarassing himself this time. “So,” he starts, stealing Seungmin’s attention away from his cheeseburger. “We don’t really know much about each other, despite being such, uh, strong competitors.”

“And whose fault is that?” Seungmin rolls his eyes playfully, though he sets his food down. “What do you wanna know?”

Hyunjin hums. “I don’t know. How old are you?”

“Classy,” Seungmin laughs, “I’m a week younger than Felix, add a day for Jisung. Do the math.”

Hyunjin’s eyes light up. “That’s cute, you’re six months younger than me!” Grinning, he says, “Call me hyung.”

“Like hell I would,” Seungmin refuses, sticking a tongue out. “You’re not even older than me right now, we’re literally the same age.”

“Still,” Hyunjin whines, though Seungmin doesn’t relent. “Okay, fine.” He stops for a minute, trying to think of a good question. “What made you want to do photography?”

Seungmin eyes seem to light up at that, twinkling happily, and Hyunjin’s hand almost goes to reach for the camera he left at home. “Well. It’s a way to express myself, first and foremost, you know? It’s a form of art, and I like to think that, say, even if ten people each take a photo of the same thing, none of them would come out looking the same – it’s all up to the individual, and how they choose to portray the subject.”

“Perspective,” Hyunjin says, eyes trained on the excitement the other boy seems to radiate when he nods. “It’s really fun too, right, and kind of challenging, working to get the perfect shot? Each moment is fleeting, and there’s no way to relive each one the exact same way as before, and the idea of capturing it in a photograph…”

Seungmin smiles at him softly. “Yeah,” he breathes out. “One picture tells a whole story on its own.” He chuckles, taking a bite from his burger. “It’s nice talking with you like this.”

Hyunjin blinks, caught off guard. “Oh. Oh, um, yeah. You’re cool when you aren’t stealing my friends away,” he says jokingly, testing the waters. A weight lifts off his chest when Seungmin lets out a carefree giggle. “But,” he adds slowly, “I’d like to be friends with you, too, you know.”

Seungmin grins at him, a sun at full brightness while another sinks in a pool of red in the sky outside. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

 

 

  1. Seungmin can sing.



 

Call him typical, but there’s no other place better to study ~~and~~ ~~pretend he has his life together~~ than at coffee shops.

Maybe it’s the warm lighting and the calm ambience, but something about them puts him more at ease even as he flips through hardbound textbooks about the colour theory and various well-known photographers. It helps that he can also take more relaxed photos from where he’s sat by the window, not just for practice or for project but simply for the sake of capturing even the most vulnerable moments for him to keep and marvel at, wondering what stories the strangers in his photographs keep under their twined scarves and guarded eyes.

After all, that’s what made him fall in love with that beaten up old camera back when he was ten – the fact that each fleeting memory can be written in detail with pixels and ink, a pocket of time for him to keep and wander back to when he feels like it.

He’s busy clicking through the rest of his camera roll when he feels the air shift, someone sitting down across from him. Looking up, he’s surprised to see Seungmin sitting there, smile small and eyes curved in tiny moons.

“Hi,” he greets, setting down his own cup and his camera. “I hope you don’t mind – I’m just waiting for Woojin hyung to get out of class.”

Hyunjin blinks at him owlishly. “It’s okay,” he says, giggling, “Relax, aren’t we friends now?”

Seungmin’s cheeks flush, and Hyunjin thinks it looks pretty on him, and he really shouldn’t be getting so soft over his _friend_ , but he _is_. “Well, nothing wrong with being cautious,” he teases, lifting his cup to his lips, Hyunjin’s eyes unconsciously following the movement. “What’s there to stop you from fighting me over Instagram, right?”

“I’m not _that_ tactless,” Hyunjin protests, tearing his eyes away, relieved to find Seungmin’s eyes focused on his drink (he’s pretty sure it isn’t normal to be staring at people’s lips, rival or friend or whatnot). “I have _class_.”

Seungmin laughs breathily, and Hyunjin’s mind kind of blanks out for a second. “If that’s what you say.”

Hyunjin juts his lower lip out, but says nothing in retort, choosing to concentrate on his camera once again. He can see Seungmin watching him quietly in his periphery, the slightest frown resting on his pink lips, but once again, he’s already looking away before Hyunjin could think on it any longer.

The quiet air around them shatters gently as it’s replaced with soft humming, low but audible, the volume doing nothing to obscure the saccharine clarity of the voice, which Hyunjin slowly comes to realise –

“You can sing,” he says breathlessly, gazing at Seungmin with a strange warmth bursting in his chest. Seungmin startles a bit, turning to him with a slightly embarassed look on his face. “Like, _sing_ sing.”

“You’re making _so_ much sense,” Seungmin says, voice tinged with sarcasm before it waters down to amusement, and maybe a little bit of pride. “But, uh, yeah, I can. It’s nothing very special, though. You should hear Woojin hyung.”

Hyunjin shakes his head. “Keep singing. Your voice is pretty,” he finds himself blurting out. Seungmin looks surprised, but he nods anyway, a broad, pleased smile pulling his lips up by the corners.

Before he knows it, he’s bringing the camera up and capturing the moment, beautiful and vulnerable, and though Seungmin looks at him with an inquisitive look in his eyes, he says nothing about it, continuing his soft humming while Hyunjin moves his head along to the melody, at least until Seungmin has to leave to meet up with Woojin.

 

(If Hyunjin didn’t know any better, he would say the odd feeling in his chest as he watched him go was something akin to longing.)

 

 

  1. He may or may not be developing the hugest crush on Kim Seungmin.



 

This is something he only comes to realise in the dim light of his room as he lies on his tummy, glasses perched on his nose and camera in hand, though he’s not really doing any file transferring as much as he’s staring at the photo of Kim Seungmin in the coffee shop he’d taken just earlier. The boy’s eyes are half-closed behind his glasses, smile like starlight as he’s caught in midsong, and Hyunjin starts thinking he’d rather be taking pictures of him than anything else.

Not that he’d ever admit it. He doesn’t have the guts.

(Also, he belatedly realises that he’s never heard anything about Seungmin’s sexuality, and if there’s no confirmation, then he’d rather not get his hopes up.)

 

(Though, it’s not like he really has a choice when it all comes down to it.)

 

 

 

_Liked by **leefelxx, spearbin,** and **296** others_

**seungcam** some shots for the project shoot – thank you, Felix

 **leefelxx** wowowow u make me look so good ;;

 **seungcam** You always look good, what are you saying?

 **hwang.hj** me and minho hyung r comin, better watch out!!!!

 **seungcam** Minho hyung and I* but sure I will!

 

 

The studio is way too warm and Hyunjin’s hair sticks uncomfortably to the back of his neck. Minho stands in the middle of the room, looking like a god, and it’s safe to say that the grade he’ll be getting for this project will be enough to pull him up for the rest of the semester – though he knows it’s not a reason to slack off. Still, he’s happy with the resuslts, and he proudly shows the shots to his hyung, who hums approvingly.

“Good thing Seungmin got Felix so you can have me to save your ass, huh,” Minho jokes, his mouth pulled up into his cattish grin, and Hyunjin pouts at the reminder. “What, no comment about your rival?”

Hyunjin shifts in his seat, eyes darting down to the floor. “About that. Um.”

Minho’s eyes turn sharply to him, gleaming threateningly, and Hyunjin has the urge to make a run for his life. “Oh,”  Minho says, “Oho. What about this rival of yours, hm?” he asks in a tone that makes it clear that he knows very well what it was about his ‘rival’ that Hyunjin had to say.

“Well,” Hyunjin starts, face feeling like an oven being pre-heated, “Well, we’re actually good friends now!” he manages to squeeze out, feeling oddly jumpy and jittery about the whole thing. And by this, he meant Seungmin. Seungmin made him nervous. And jittery. And jumpy. And he had a crush on him. Great.

“Just friends?” Minho asks, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

“ _Good_ friends.”

Minho sighs, shaking his head. “You’re telling me, after staring him down the whole time when you first met and disguising your whole hyperfixation on him as some corny rivalry, you’re just good friends?”

Hyunjin’s cheeks flush hotly as he mumbles, “I was not hyperfixated on him.”

“Really?” Minho watches Hyunjin shakes his head in small motions.

“Well.” Hyunjin can’t believe he’s about to admit this to Minho, of all people, “maybe I do like him. More than a good friend should.” His voice trails off as he continues, “Hyung, I don’t know what to do.”

Minho blinks, brows knitting together confusedly. “Well, you should tell him, for starters.”

“No!” Hyunjin says, a bit loud, and Minho looks quite shocked by his outburst. Hyunjin’s shoulders immediately curl into himself, “Sorry, I just – I don’t know. He’s – _hyung_! He’s so cute, and he has nice notes and nice hands and he _sings_ so prettily and it’s annoying how _soft_ he is! Who even _does_ that! He makes me want to cry!”

Minho stares at him. “Holy shit.”

 

 

  1. ~~He may or may not be developing the hugest crush on Kim Seungmin~~.
  2. He _maybe_ has a crush on Kim Seungmin, and does not know how to deal with such feelings. At all.



 

Kim Seungmin was _impossible_.

Since they’d agreed to be friends, Hyunjin finds himself hanging out with him more and more, and it’s kind of hard to keep denying that he’s got a special spot in his heart for the barely younger boy when he’s so effortlessly adorable, and Hyunjin finds that it’s too easy to laugh when he’s around.

He learns a lot of things about Seungmin, like the fact that he loves Day6 more than anything (Hyunjin jokingly says that they can both just be fansites for Jinyoung and Wonpil, and Seungmin, the fucker, almost gives him a heart attack by pretending to actually plan to drop out to do it), and that he has a fondness for eggs, or that he really, _really_ doesn’t like it when people sit on his bed or mess with his things in general. He knows Seungmin has an affinity for words, and used to play baseball when he was little.

He learns a lot of things about Kim Seungmin, and all of them do nothing but dig him a deeper grave.

He finds himself perched on the cool metal of an old swing seat at 5 a.m., nodding along as Seungmin rants about his irritatingly messy roommate who leaves his clothes all over the place, distracted by how lovely the lilac sky looks on the other boy, his features soft in the gentle light, yet still remaining stark.

“ – and it’s disgusting how someone could live like that, seriously, I’ve never seen him change his bedsheets in the past few months!” Seungmin complains, his voice turning nasal as he forgets to pay attention to it, and Hyunjin can’t help the giggle that bubbles from his mouth. Seungmin narrows his eyes at him. “What are you laughing at? This isn’t funny.”

Hyunjin laughs again. “Your voice, Minnie,” he reminds, “you sound like a dinosaur again.” Seungmin flushes, muttering ‘rude’ underneath his breath. Hyunjin pays it no mind, losing himself in the soft fluttering of Seungmin’s lashes against smooth skin, his eyes not without dark circles underneath, yet remaining mesmeric all the same, and Hyunjin doesn’t even realise he’s staring until Seungmin’s face is right in front of his, warm, minty breath washing over his skin.

Without thinking, he jerks backward, almost toppling over the swing. Seungmin startles away, too, frowning. “Is there something on my face?” he asks quietly.

Hyunjin blinks. Takes a deep breath, and another. “No,” Hyunjin replies. “Sorry, just kind of slipped away. I’m sorry.”

Seungmin doesn’t say anything immediately, just stands there, staring down at him with guarded eyes. Hyunjin almost squirms in his seat, until the other finally turns away, shoulders rigid. “Let’s go?”

Hyunjin nods, trailing after his friend and feeling like he’s just missed something important.

 

_Liked by **j1.sung, seungcam** and **287** others_

**hwang.hj** the sun was pretty

 **j1.sung** oh???

 **j1.sung** this is new

 **seungcam** I didn’t know you took this..

 **innie.yang** what goes on

 

“You, dear sir,” Jisung says, “have some explaining to do.”

Hyunjin barely glances at him from where he’s hunched over his laptop. “No, I don’t.”

Jisung ignores him, going straight to plop down on his bed, face first, twisting around so he can look at him at his desk. “So,” he begins, “when the fuck did your rivalry with Kim Seungmin turn into some cheesy competition of who can take more pictures of the other?”

Hyunjin’s cheeks spark pink, brows furrowing. “It didn’t.”

“Really? So what exactly is going on?”

“Nothing, okay?” He sighs, leaning back in his squeaky old office chair, “Nothing’s going on. We’re just being posting photos of each other, isn’t that what friends do?”

Jisung stares at him, amusement clear in his round eyes. “Oh, Hyunjin,” he chides, “Always acting so clueless about things.”

Hyunjin scowls at him. “What things?”

“Oh, you know,” Jisung answers slowly, pausing for effect, “ _things_.” He turns to lay on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling above as to ignore the  unimpressed look Hyunjin’s giving him after his vague words. “Do you like him?”

“Why is everyone asking me that?” Hyunjin deflects, feigning annoyance. Truthfully, he’s quite nervous about the whole thing. Jisung’s interest seems to pique.

“Everyone? Who’s everyone?”

“Well, Minho hyung,” Hyunjin answers, shrugging. “And, if you’re going to ask – no, I don’t like him.” The lie tastes bitter in his mouth, and based on the way Jisung’s looking at him, neither of them really believes in it.

 

_Liked by **spearbin, kimwooj** and **211** others_

**seungcam** He asked me to delete it so I didn’t.

 **hwang.hj** t r a i t o r

 **leefelxx** oh how the turn tables

 **j1.sung** pepe ass bitch

 

“Have you ever liked someone before?”

Hyunjin swears his heart didn’t almost jump out of his throat. He also totally didn’t almost just drop the camera in his hands.

“Uh, what?” He stutters, cheeks burning under Seungmin’s judging eyes, and then tries again. “I mean, yeah, of course I have. Why do you ask?”

Seungmin’s teeth peek out to worry at his bottom lip, an action that Hyunjin’s eyes linger on. “Well. Have you, uh… ever liked a boy before?” he asks shyly, almost seemingly scared.

He smiles, though, if only to ease the boy. “Well, yeah. I’m, uh… very gay, you could say,” he tells Seungmin, who seems to relax, though only marginally. He then tries again, “Why do you ask? Do you like someone?”

“I think so,” Seungmin murmurs, eyes cast downwards, kicking at the grass beneath his shoes. He looks up a moment to watch a trio of kids run across the park before he looks down again. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I do.”

“And it’s a boy?” Hyunjin prods gently, ignoring the way his heart was clenching painfully in his chest, due to various reasons. Seungmin nods, taking deep breath as he appears to mull over his next words. Hyunjin lets him, waiting patiently.

“Yeah,” Seungmin finally says, hushed, “And, I don’t know – I’m not scared of having a crush, it’s more of the fact that I… well. I’ve never had a crush on a boy before.”

“Oh.”

 “Yeah. _Oh_.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair frustratedly. He turns to look at Hyunjin. “I don’t know why I’m making such a big deal about it. I don’t even know why I’m telling you, God, I usually just hold my crushes in ‘til they’ve passed. I’m just… scared. I’ve never liked a boy before, and I’ve never liked anyone as much as I like this one.” Seungmin laughs, sounding a little hollow. “Yeah, I’m definitely scared.”

Hyunjin watches him, nothing but concern and pure angst brewing in his chest. He pushes it aside, though, because this wasn’t about him, but Seungmin. “It’s okay,” he tells him, shifting closer on the bench so he can wrap a comforting arm around his shoulder, which he gratefully leans against. He sucks at words, they both know it, but he’s wonderful at physical affection, and Seungmin could definitely use some right now. “It must be really overwhelming, huh?”

“Yeah,” Seungmin sniffs, and Hyunjin can almost hear his pout. “Do you think I should tell him?”

Hyunjin wants to say no, because he’s selfish and he doesn’t want to possibly lose Seungmin. But he knows it’s a big thing for the other, and he’s not about to ruin it with his own greed, so he thinks it through for a bit. Seungmin looks up at him through his lashes, waiting.

“I think,” Hyunjin says, chewing on his own bottom lip, “I think, if that’s what your heart is telling you to do, then you should confess to him. But,” he adds, “there’s no reason to rush. Maybe think about it for a while, and when you’re ready and sure, you can confess.”

“And if he rejects me?”

“Then…” Hyunjin hesitates, the words painful even as they climb their way up his throat. “Then you know I’m here for you, right? Always.”

Seungmin presses a small smile against his shoulder. “Ah, Hyunjinnie,” he murmurs sweetly, and Hyunjin can feel his heart fracture, “What would I do without you?”

 

  1. Seungmin has a crush on someone (a boy) and it probably isn’t him.
  2. Even if Seungmin decides to confess and date said crush, he probably would do nothing but smile for him, because he’s an idiot that way. Also because Seungmin’s happiness matters very much to him.
  3. When the fuck did his own crush spiral out of control into such devastating feelings? Fuck.



 

Hyunjin finds himself, once again, sitting in a semi-deserted McDonald’s in the middle of the night, chewing listlessly on soggy fries while Minho watches him with concern in his eyes as he sips his float.

“Okay,” Minho says, snapping Hyunjin out of his self-pitying trance, “What did Seungmin do?”

Hyunjin isn’t even surprised that Minho’s already got a clue on why he’s being so pathetic right now. “He didn’t do anything,” he says, defensive already, and it’s laughable how whipped he is. “It’s just, uh. Don’t tell him I told you, he’ll kick my ass –”

“What do you take me for, a dumbass?” Minho asks, offended.

“– but Seungmin’s got a crush on some guy,” Hyunjin continues, “and it’s pretty deep, according to him, and he might confess, and oh my God, hyung, I’m so pathetic, but I fucking _wish_ it was me.”

“And how do you know it isn’t you?” Minho asks him, head falling slightly to one side. “Have _you_ tried confessing to him?”

Hyunjin shakes his head immediately, “I don’t want to potentially screw up our friendship, hyung,” he says miserably, “It’s all I’ll ever have. I don’t wanna lose it. Beside, why would he even like me back?”

“Hyunjin.” Minho’s never sounded so serious in all the times they’ve talked about Hyunjin’s crush (or, more accurately, when Hyunjin would pour out all his romantic teenage angst to a comforting Minho), and he looks Hyunjin dead in the eye as he says, “Hyunjin, you listen to me. I know we slander you each waking hour, but God knows how beautiful you are – don’t roll your eyes at me, punk, I’m trying to get your shit together for you – seriously, you’re physically attractive, and personality wise, you’re honestly too much like a puppy for anyone not to adore. Besides,” his tone softens as he continues, “you’re close with Seungmin, aren’t you? He knows you, to some deep extent, and he’s seen what kind of person you are. You’re pretty, Hyunjin, and so is your heart, and there’s a lot of things to like about you, trust me on this.”

Hyunjin sniffs. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think _you_ have a crush on me.”

“Shut up, you ungrateful noodle, I’m trying to help,” Minho hisses playfully, the mood lifting somewhat. “Anyway, you and Seungmin have grown very close in a very short period of time compared to everyone else, and I think that alone is enough to tell you that he wouldn’t possibly ditch you if you ever confess and he doesn’t happen to return your feelings.

However, _I’m_ pretty sure he does like you, so trust hyung when I tell you that it won’t hurt to give it a shot.”

Hyunjin stares into Minho’s eyes, searching for any trace of a joke and sighing when he finds nothing but pure honesty and worry. “Okay,” he relents, shoulders slumped in defeat. “Okay. I’ll try. But if I get my heart broken, you’re buying me food until I recover.”

Minho smiles. “Whatever you say, Hyunjin.”

 

He promises to try, but in all honesty, all he’s done is stare at the back of Seungmin’s head thinking of all the things he wants to tell the other, and has made absolutely no progress with his crush.

Seungmin, on the other hand, seems to have forgotten all about his own crush, reverting back into his surprisingly talkative self, though Hyunjin wasn’t complaining. It was cute how the younger could go on about something for hours, and especially so when it was about something he particularly loved,  adoring the way his eyes seemed to gleam a little brighter.

Hyunjin likes to think that he isn’t obvious, either, that he’s hidden his feelings away quite well for their intensity. He keeps up with their playful banter that they never seem to grow out of, shooting one snarky remark after another, and pretends that he’s not having an internal meltdown whenever Seungmin melts into him in a too-intimate hug or when the younger tugs on his hands ~~as well as his heartstrings~~.

(And if he closes his eyes in moments like those and pretends that they’re something a little more than good friends, nobody has to know.)

He stays behind Seungmin on their photowalks, though, taking the chance to take pictures from where Seungmin doesn’t see, and usually doesn’t notice, since he himself is busy photographing whatever he finds to be interesting – and it’s more often than not Hyunjin, too, that he finds himself capturing rare moments of, though they both pretend to be oblivious.

(Hyunjin’s too busy hiding behind the lens of his camera to realise how many miles he’s passed by and missed, just because he isn’t looking where he’s meant to be.)

 

It’s on a rainy Monday when Hyunjin finds himself screwing up everything.

Originally, they had planned to go together to the mall to pick up prints for their project, and they had planned to head there and back on foot, like they always do under the excuse of being able to photograph a wider variety of things – though, for Hyunjin, it’s also really just another chance to be spending time with his precious Seungminnie.

Halfway there, however, the already-dark skies seem to have grown far too heavy to hold, and they find themselves running for shelter as rain begins to fall in small drops that soon turn into heavier torrents.

And, really, it’s painfully cliché how they find themselves crammed together in a cramped phone booth, jackets thrown haphazardly over the front of their clothes to protect their cameras, their hair damp and sticking funnily to their foreheads.

“What luck,” Seungmin huffs, pulling an umbrella from the depths of his bag after a minute of rummaging and opening it in front of them so that the top-front of the booth is covered, blocking the rain coming in from the angle. “Can you hold this for a while? I need to put my camera inside…”

Hyunjin nods, out of breath not from the running they did, but from their proximity, the two of them being separated only by the backpacks they’ve sandwiched between them. He holds the umbrella dutifully as he watches Seungmin struggle to store his camera safely in its bad and mumbling his thanks when Seungmin reaches over to do the same for his.

Finally, the younger boy lets his head fall back against the glass side of the booth, pouting at the shower outside, “We’re going to be stuck here for a while, aren’t we?”

 “What, you don’t like being stuck so close with me?” he teases, grinning and bumping their shoulders lightly. It wasn’t unusual for  them to joke in such manners, after all.

Seungmin doesn’t miss a beat, replying smoothly that it’s him who likes being so close to the other. And, to both their surprises, Hyunjin replies in a burst of confidence, “Well, you aren’t wrong.”

Seungmin’s eyes are wide as he stares up at him, cheeks a pretty, rosy hue, and though Hyunjin can feel his own face warm up, he lets out a giggle to keep the mood far from serious.

Needless to say, it doesn’t work.

“Do you really?” Seungmin asks breathlessly, wide eyes swimming with something Hyunjin recognises from all the times he’s seen his own lovesick reflection. This time, he can’t seem to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks, and he glances away, focusing on the glass behind Seungmin and the way the raindrops shatter against it. In the corner of his eyes, he sees Seungmin’s shoulders sag, a soft “oh” escaping his lips.

He’s missed yet another mile.

Breathing deeply, he says, “I think the rain’s letting up soon.” He straightens up, leaning against his side of the booth, a little away from Seungmin. “I think we can leave now…”

Before he can move, however, there’s a grip on his wrist, firm and demanding. He looks at Seungmin, who looks just as surprised as he feels.

“You didn’t answer me,” Seungmin says quietly.

Hyunjin feels fear seize the best of him, and before he can think, the words have slipped past his lips already, “Answer what?”

Seungmin blinks at him incredulously. “I – okay. I’m sorry. Nevermind.” The tender look in his eyes have been replaced by regret, and Hyunjin feels sick. “We should go.”

Before he can register what’s happening, he’s already leaning down, eyes fluttering close as his lips press against the soft skin of Seungmin’s cheek, catching just the corner of his lips. Immediately, he jerks away after hearing Seungmin’s gasp, feeling him tense against him.

Time feels sluggish, like they were stuck in sickly sweet honey, staring at each other. Seungmin’s hand falls away to brush against the spot Hyunjin had kissed, opening his mouth to speak.

Hyunjin doesn’t stick around long enough to find out what he meant to say, because within a heartbeat he’s gone, fleeing in the rain and leaving a stricken Seungmin alone in the phone booth.

 

**A Fresh New List of Hwang Hyunjin’s Problems, Mainly Those Concerning Kim Seungmin**

  1. His crush on his friend and fellow, ex-rival photographer has become full-blown feelings.
  2. He doesn’t know how to deal with said feelings.
  3. Kim Seungmin likes someone, which he now accepts may possibly be him.
  4. However, he is certain Seungmin now hates him after the stunt he’d pulled in the phone booth, the one where he’d ignored what may have possibly been an attempt at a confession, kissed Seungmin and promptly left him alone in the middle of a barely receding rainstorm.



 

Naturally, Hyunjin avoids Seungmin like the plague after his Very Bad Fuck Up, and it’s safe to say Seungmin’s been avoiding him too, judging from the lack of interactions on their social medias and messages, cemented by the fact that Seungmin had started sitting in front of the professor’s desk in class rather than to stay beside Hyunjin..

It’s kind of hard to adjust back into not having someone to bug during his most boring class, but Hyunjin forces himself to sit still and manage.

He’s also stopped lending Hyunjin his notes every after class, and Hyunjin’s pointedly ignoring the existence of the ones that are still in his bag, not that he didn’t try to return them, though. There _have_ been attempts to recoincile – flimsy ones, but he had tried, nevertheless. Hyunjin has, of course, used their note sharing habits in order to try to get to Seungmin, but the bespectacled boy had only turned him down by either pointing him in another classmate’s direction, or saying that he should have just listened in class, or by simply blatantly ignoring him.

Not that Hyunjin can blame him, but hey, it hurts like hell.

Their friends have also picked up on the fact that they had a falling out, bloodhounds that they are when it comes to each other’s lives, though it wasn’t very hard to see – Seungmin had started posting photos of everyone _but_ Hyunjin, and Hyunjin had just stopped posting anything at all, the last one dating back to a mere day before his screw up.

Jisung and Minho in particular have made it their life mission to force him to talk to Seungmin – as if he hasn’t _tried_ – though Felix had also kindly left him a message asking “ _just what the hell did you do to make min so sad? you better fix it._ ” He simply tells them no, he’s tried and failed and royally fucked up and there’s nothing left to do but accept it, and promptly mutes their notifications once they’d started spamming him once again.

He stays cooped up in his room, his camera left untouched on his desk since, choosing to work with his other camera because he knows he’ll burst into tears if he sees even one roll of pictures on his SD card.

It’s his fault, after all.

 

It’s in the library where he’s cornered by Kim Woojin, Seungmin’s older cousin and brother figure, and while Hyunjin has known him to be a very soft, non-intimidating man, he can’t help but shrink in his seat when he sees the way Woojin’s eyes hone sharply in on him as he marches over to where he’s sitting alone, hunched over his laptop as usual.

“Hey, Hyunjin,” Woojin’s greeting comes off casual, though Hyunjin knew better than that.

“Hi, Woojin hyung,” he greet timidly. “How have you been?” It’s a cringey attempt at small talk, and Woojin sighs, having none of it.

“Look, I’m going to cut straight to the point,” Woojin says, his usually soft voice stern. “Do you or do you not like Seungmin?”

Hyunjin’s mouth flops open dumbly, because he’d been expecting a scolding, and not… that. “I –” he slaps himself mentally. “Yes, hyung, I do.”

Woojin’s eyes soften at this, and he leans forward, expression almost pleading. “Then _please_ talk to him, because he’s been miserable and for some reaosn thinks you hate him and I really can’t stand seeing him like that.”

“What? Why would he think I hate him?” Hyunjin asks in disbelief. He’d thought _Seungmin_ hated him!

Woojin shakes his head. “I’m as clueless as you are, kid. Look, you’ve made a mistake – we all do. I just need to know I can trust you to make an effort to fix things. He doesn't hate you for it, either,” he adds, as if he heard Hyunjin's thoughts. "Maybe he should, but he really doesn't."

“Okay,” Hyunjin says, heart tight in his chest. “I will. I promise.”

“Good. I know you like him a lot,” Woojin says, smiling slightly, “and so does he. And I trust you to take care of him. Thank you, Hyunjin.”

 “Thank you, hyung,” he says so quietly it’s almost a whisper, and this time, Woojin’s smile is warmer, and it does a lot to ease his heart.

 

When he gets home, the first thing he does is pick his camera up from his desk. It’s no surprise to him when he sees Seungmin in almost every frame there is, but still, his breath catches in his throat when he sees his smile, pretty even on a screen.

He clicks down until he finds what he’s looking for – a photograph of Seungmin with his eyes half-closed behind the glint of his glasses, smiling and frozen midsong, the melody of which was still clear in Hyunjin’s mind, riding the flutterbeat rhythm of his heart.

He’s missed too many chances now.

 

_Liked by **kimwooj, innie.yang** and **209** others_

**hwang.hj** missing the sun

 

(seungcam) **hwang.hj:** seungmin? i know i messed up, but please talk to me?

(seungcam) **hwang.hj:** just one chance. please??

(seungcam) **hwang.hj:** seungminnie?

 

 

(hwang.hj) **seungcam** liked your post.

 

 

**A Final List Of Hwang Hyunjin’s Kim Seungmin-Related Problems**

  1. His heart never lets him calm down when he’s around. Kind of a real problem when he’s trying to speak without looking even more like a fool.



 

The coffee shop is as quaint and calm as it had been the last time they were here, but Hyunjin can’t seem to stop his hands from tapping the table anxiously as he waits for Seungmin in the very same spot. His camera lies on top of the table, as does his drink, but they’ve both been forgotten in favour of looking out the window, eyes searching for a familiar figure.

Finally, Seungmin steps into the shop with a nervous smile gracing his lips. He’s wearing a beret today, camera bag slung over a pink coat, and he sends Hyunjin a tight-lipped smile as he goes first to the counter to order. Hyunjin watches him with wonder in his eyes, looking down when Seungmin approaches their table.

“Hey.”

(Hyunjin totally doesn’t get the urge to cry at the sound of Seungmin’s voice. He’s missed him a lot.)

“Hi,” Hyunjin murmurs almost shyly, not quite looking at Seungmin, who’s now sitting across him. “We, uh. Have to talk.”

Seungmin lets out a bout of nervous laughter that surprises Hyunjin, though not completely unpleasantly. “Hey, you kind of have to look at me first.”

So he does. And so his brain-to-mouth filter malfunctions again, because before he knows it, he’s saying, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Seungmin looks surprised at the sudden confession. “I’ve missed you too,” he replies, teeth once again worrying his lower lip. “About what happened…”

“I’m really sorry,” Hyunjin starts. “What I did that day was a really dick move. More than one dick move, honestly, and I can’t express how bad I feel for leaving you there. In the rain. Alone. And I’m sorry for not trying harder to reach you, and for making you feel miserable, according to Woojin hyung.”

Seungmin nods, lips pursed in thought. “I’m sorry too, you know,” he says softly, as if he’s afraid. “For ignoring you so much. You tried hard, I just wasn’t ready to face you, I guess.” He exhales shakily. “Can I ask you one thing, though?”

Hyunjin tilts his head to the side, curious and nervous at the same time. “Of course.”

“The kiss,” Seungmin whispers. “Did you, um. Did you mean it? Or is that just… another thing to apologise for? Because,” his voice turns delicate, “it’s very obviously the reason why we were avoiding each other so much, am I right?”

“I’m not going to apologise for something that I know I would do again, given the chance,” Hyunjin admits. “Though, I’d like to do it properly if that were the case.”

Seungmin stares at him, expression sifting from surprise to disbelief to something brighter. “Is this a confession, Hyunjin?” he asks carefully, eyes hopeful.

Hyunjin breaks into a small smile. “Would you accept it if it was?”

“Maybe I would,” Seungmin replies, tone much lighter now. “But please do it properly, I don’t think I can handle another heartbreak.”

Hyunjin laughs, reaching over the table to take Seungmin’s hands in his. He lets him, returning an equally firm hold. “Kim Seungmin, I really like you,” he announces, watching Seungmin’s face slowly break into a smile, his heart thundering in his chest. “And I do like spending my time close to you. And I’m sorry for being a dumbass and hurting you so much. But if you’d still have me, then I’d very much like to kiss you right now.”

Seungmin stands up, making his way around the table. He leans down, taking Hyunjin’s face into his hands, and they meet somewhere in between. His heart feels like it’s about to burst, a strangely good feeling, and he can’t get enough of Seungmin’s lips on his. It isn’t exactly fireworks and sparks, but something gentler, sweeter.

Pulling away, Seungmin beams down at him. “I really like you,” he breathes out, retreating back to his seat. “And I can’t believe this is happening.”

Hyunjin smiles, “So it was me who you were crushing on the whole time, right?”

Seungmin glares at him. “Are you for real right now? Of course it was! Who else could it have been?”

“I don’t know! I just wanted to make sure,” Hyunjin says. “To be fair, I think I’ve liked you since we met at McDonald’s,” he admits. “But the whole rival thing got in the way.”

Seungmin rolls his eyes. “Maybe if you were less of an idiot, we’d long have been together.”

“Sure, but… as long as I’m with you, it’s all good.” Hyunjin giggles. “Besides, my whole camera’s going to be even more filled with your face now, because I’ve decied I like taking pictures of you more than anything else.”

 “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m your idiot.”

Seungmin sighs, smile wide on his face.  “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

(It’s when Seungmin kisses him again that he realises he feels like home more than anything else, and he’s absolutely in love. Coming home feels good after all the times he’d missed his chance by seconds and miles.)

**Author's Note:**

> ha ha honestly what the fuck was that i hope ill write more and better things this yr but holy shit this is the longest fic i ve posted im amazed @ how i (barely) reached 10k the fuck
> 
> thank u for reading tho i hope,,,, leave a comment i guess,,,,, or a kudo,,,,,, idk its up to u (pls) ilu


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